Electrical device for lighting cigars and cigarettes



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NnhEnWnAmaw LW% l lizuir/nzmw Ill 52 55% 3 m "#4 I m Im .rflllllfll w m- Luigi Pramoggiore MR4 #Zac/(S ATTORNEY May 26, 1964L. PRAMAGGIORE ELECTRICAL DEVICE FOR LIGHTING CIGARS AND CIGARETTESFiled Dec. 29, 1961 May 2 1964 L. PRAMAGGIORE 3,134,835

ELECTRICAL DEVICE FOR LIGHTING CIGARS AND CIGARETTES Filed Dec. 29, 19612 Sheets-Sheet 2 23 k 2 V @Z B [2 2 22 I /4 f 6 5 7 p 3 4 l 33 Fig. 5

INVENTOR Luigi Prclrnaggiore BY 167/24 Zoe/(S ATTORNEY 3,134,885ELECTRICAL DEVICE FOR LIGHTING CIGARS AND CIGARE'ITES Luigi Pramaggiore,Corso Battaglione Aosta 14, Aosta, Italy Filed Dec. 29, 1961, Ser. No.163,191 Claims priority, application Italy Aug. 23, 1961 3 Claims. (Cl.219-264) This invention concerns an electrical device for lightingcigars or cigarettes.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide an improveddevice of the kind before referred to. Thus according to the presentinvention an electrical device for lighting cigars and cigarettes,having an audible signal and being particularly adapted for use in motorvehicles, is characterized in that ignition of the cigar or cigarette iseffected by pressing a knob situated on the outside of the dashboard ofthe motor vehicle and within easy reach of the hand, whilst the electriccurrent to supply the resistance is conveyed by a plug situatedcoaxially and at the opposite end of the device, where the audiblesignal of bell is fitted, the striker of which is supported incantilever fashion by a spring forced into the nucleus of insulatingmaterial in which the moving contacts are anchored.

When the knob is pressed inwards it pushes certain push-pins, fixed toits return springs, so that the ends of these, overcoming the resistanceof a spring press the nucleus holding the moving contacts against thefixed contacts, thus closing the electrical circuit. When the electricalresistance has reached the temperature to light the cigar or cigarette,the fixed contacts, situated level with the moving ones round the basesupporting the resistance, expand, thus releasing the moving contactsanchored to the nucleus of insulating material, so that the latter,under the influence of the spring previously compressed, returns then totheir previous position.

The invention will now be described further, by Way of example only,with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodimentthereof and in which:

FIG. 1 represents the device on a large scale in section along itslongitudinal axis, showing it in its operating position, i.e. with theelectrical resistance switched on;

FIG. 2 shows the same device in partial section along its longitudinalaxis as shown by the lines II-II in FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a cross section along the lines III-III in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross section along the lines IVIV in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 represents a similar view of the device as in FIG. 1, showing itin its non-operating position.

Referring now to the drawings, the device consists of the usualcylindrical metal casing 1, the front end of which is supported by thedashboard of the motor vehicle (not shown) and with the rear endprovided with a bell 2. A coiled heating resistance 3 is axially mountedinside the cylinder of the casing 1 and is lodged in a housing 4 fromwhich it is insulated as at 5. A small metal cap 6 having a centralhole, is disposed behind and coaxially with the housing 4 and isprovided with three spring metal tongues 7, the said tongues beingadapted to be operated by moving contacts and being arranged at anglesof 120 deg. to each other and housed in corresponding radial recesses 8cut in the base 9 of insulating material and in contact with hexagonalmetallic piece 34 in operating position of FIG. 1. The insulatingmaterial is held in its correct position against the cup 6 and thehousing 4 by a distance piece or sleeve 10 which extends to the end ofthe casing 1 and bears against the endplate 17, the said endplate 17being provided with United States Patent 0 3,134,885. Patented May 26,1964 three keys which mate with corresponding recesses at the rear endof the casing 1 and which fit over special flats 13 on the surface ofthe moving nucleus 14, from which the moving contacts 15 are suspended,with the object of securing this nucleus in its correct position. Thenucleus 14, made of insulating material and provided with a centralbore, is mounted on the distance piece or sleeve 10, and a spring 16,wound round the latter, is provided for maintaining the nucleus--andthus the moving contacts 15in contact with the fixed ones 7 during theignition period.

The endplate 17 fixed to casing 1 by three spring flats 12 spaced at 120degrees to each other has a radial recess 11 through which passes ahelical spring 18 one end of which is forced into a cavity in thenucleus 14, and the other into another cavity in the striker 19 of thebell 2, so that the striker is supported by the nucleus in cantileverfashion. I

The housing 4 has a central hole through which passes a threaded bolt20, the said bolt 20 being screwed into the threaded bore of a bush 21inserted into the centre of the base 9. On to the other end of the bolt20 is screwed one end of a rod 22, the said rod 22 serving to locktogether, by means of a bulbous part 23 thereof, the whole assemblycomprising the endplate 17, the sleeve or distance piece 10, the base 9and the cup 6, against the housing 4. The bulbous part 23 is taperedbeyond the hell 2 and terminates in a threaded portion on to which isscrewed the coaxial plug 24 to which the electricity supply isconnected.

The front part of the casing 1 is provided with a partition 25 with athreaded central hole, into which is screwed the tube 26, coaxially wtihthe resistance 3, to hold the cigarette. The partition 25 is sopositioned as to form a cylindrical cavity 27 in which is housed ahelical spring 28 having coils of diminishing diameter and bearing bothon the partition 25 and a ring 29 situated level with the front edge ofthe casing 1 on a knob 30, the knob 30 being fitted round theaforementioned tube 26 andcontinually pressed forward against the bead31 at the front end of the tube 26 by the action of the spring 28.

Three push-pins 32 are fitted into the largest coil of the spring 28,the said push-pins 32 being arranged at angles of deg. to each other.The pins 32 pass through a similar number of tubes 33 fixed to the partition 25 and extend beyond the base 9, passing through radial recessescut for the purpose in the said base 9, in intermediate positionsbetween the recesses 8.

When the cigarette is inserted into the tube 26 and pressed against theresistance 3, the knob 30 being pushed at the same time in the directionof the arrow, the ring 29 will press the spring 28 and compress it, thusforcing the push-pins 32 against the nucleus 14, to which the movingcontacts 15 are secured, into the position against metallic piece 34shown in FIG. 1, that is, the ignition position, thus closing theelectrical circuit. Knob 30 returns to its original position through theaction of spring 28 but contacts 15 held between V-shaped contacts 7 andmetallic piece 34 maintain a closed circuit. When the electricalresistance has reached the pre-arranged ignition temperature forlighting the cigarette, the fixed contacts 7 expand and their ends getfurther apart, releasing the tongues 15 so that the remaining section ofthe moving part of the device returns to its original position as shownin FIG. 5 under the pressure of the spring 16. Also during its movement,the nucleus 14 sets in motion the striker 19, the vibration of whichrings the bell 2.

What I claim is:

1. An electrical device comprising a hollow body, an electrical heatingelement mounted Within said body, an

insulating nucleus mounted for reciprocal movement in said body, a knobmounted at one end of said body for reciprocal movement in relation tosaid body, a first spring mounted to oppose the inward motion of saidknob, a second spring mounted to oppose the movement of said insulatingnucleus in the same direction, fixed contact means secured to said bodyin electrical connection with said heating element, movable contactmeans slidably carried by said insulating nucleus and movable to abutagainst said fixed contactmeans, push-pins fixed to said first springand positioned to abut against said insulating nucleus upon the inwardmotion of said knob, and a resilient metallic catch member mounted inthe body in heat transfer relationship with said heating element andpositioned to engage with and retain said movable contact means whensaid means is moved into contacting means, said catch member beingexpandable by the heat transferred from said element so as to releasesaid spring loaded movable contact means after a predetermined rise intemperature of said heating element.

2. An electrical device for lighting cigars or cigare'ttes, having anaudible signal and being particularly adapted for use in motor vehicles,comprising a hollow body, an electrical heating element mounted withinsaid body, fi'xed contact means secured to said body in electricalconnection with said heating element, spring loaded movable contactmeans movable to abut against said fixed contact means, a spring loadedknob for inward reciprocal movement in said body and movement of saidmovable contact means in the same direction for operation of saidheating element, a plug situated coaxially and at the opposite end ofsaid body from said knob and electrically connected to said heatingelement through said movable and fixed contact means, a bell positioned.in said body at the same end of said body as the location of said plug,and a spring mounted and a cantilever supported striker mounted on saidmovable contact means for reciprocal movement in said body.

3. The electrical device in accordance with claim 2 further includingpush-pins operatively mounted in relation to said spring loaded knob,said push-pins pushing said movable contact means into abutting positionwith said fixed contact means thereby closing the electrical circuitbetween said plug and said heating element, said fixed contact meansexpanding from heat of said heating element and releasing said springloaded movable contacts for reciprocal movement to their originalnonoperating position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,918,559 Pram aggiore Dec. 22, 1959

2. AN ELECTRICAL DEVICE FOR LIGHTING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES, HAVING ANAUDIBLE SIGNAL AND BEING PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN MOTOR VEHICLES,COMPRISING A HOLLOW BODY, AN ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT MOUNTED WITHINSAID BODY, FIXED CONTACT MEANS SECURED TO SAID BODY IN ELECTRICALCONNECTION WITH SAID HEATING ELEMENT, SPRING LOADED MOVABLE CONTACTMEANS MOVABLE TO ABUT AGAINST SAID FIXED CONTACT MEANS, A SPRING LOADEDKNOB FOR INWARD RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT IN SAID BODY AND MOVEMENT OF SAIDMOVABLE CONTACT MEANS IN THE SAME DIRECTION FOR OPERATION OF SAIDHEATING ELEMENT, A PLUG SITUATED COAXIALLY AND AT THE OPPOSITE END OFSAID BODY FROM SAID KNOB AND ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO SAID HEATINGELEMENT THROUGH SAID MOVABLE AND FIXED CONTACT MEANS, A BELL POSITIONEDIN SAID BODY AT THE SAME END OF SAID BODY AS THE LOCATION OF SAID PLUG,AND A SPRING MOUNTED AND A CANTILEVER SUPPORTED STRIKER MOUNTED ON SAIDMOVABLE CONTACT MEANS FOR RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT IN SAID BODY.